Bernie Sanders Gets the Jump on Big Week for Democrats in Iowa

By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News

22 October 15

 

fter a quick trip to Los Angeles for the Ellen Show, Bernie Sanders went to Iowa. Fresh off a debate performance that most polls and focus groups said he won, Sanders reported a surge in fundraising. Then came the Larry David skit on Saturday Night Live. I know, pop culture is not Bernie’s chosen path to victory, but he is becoming a pop icon without trying.

Look at the crowds, his rallies in places like Portland and Los Angeles had the feel of rock concerts when he took the stage. The good thing is it’s not the work of some Madison Avenue publicist that has Bernie’s popularity on the rise, it is the authenticity of his candidacy. Americans are rejecting the carefully packaged politicians who are spouting their poll-tested agendas. Bernie Sanders has not even hired a pollster. His agenda is the same as it was when he jumped into politics 30 years ago.

The first debate was not a game changer. Bernie did a good job introducing himself to the American people, and Hillary at least for now stopped her decline in the polls. They marginalized the other three candidates in the race and stopped the momentum of the big fish not yet declared. After an odd back and forth with Clinton this week Joe Biden decided to not seek the nomination. I am not sure why the vice president to have a skirmish with Clinton this week if he was not getting in. I guess he really hadn’t made his mind up.

Jim Webb has dropped out of the race earlier in the week and is considering running as an Independent. I understand Mr. Webb’s identity crisis, but if he couldn’t poll above one percent in the party that got him elected to the Senate, where does he think his base of support will come from? My advice to Senator Webb is to take some time with his family and wait for an appointment from the next president.

I’ll get off the soap box now and tell you what is happening in Iowa this week. On Sunday and Monday Bernie held events in Iowa, town hall meetings in Fort Madison and Oskaloosa, and a county party fundraiser in Iowa City. It was a much looser Bernie Sanders. He was joking about Larry David and his hair. He stayed on message, of course, but there were some tweaks. He blasted the announcement that Social Security recipients would not receive a cost of living increase. In a manner that only Bernie can get to the heart of the issue, he explained that while the cost of retail products may not be rising, the cost of medicine and things that seniors and the disabled need are rising. Bernie announced that he has introduced legislation to change the formula for determining the cost of living for seniors and the disabled.

“It is unacceptable that millions of senior citizens and disabled veterans will not be receiving a cost-of-living adjustment to keep up with their rising living expenses,” Sanders said. “At a time when senior poverty is going up and more than two-thirds of the elderly population rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, our job must be to expand, not cut, Social Security.”

Bernie also talked about his winning organization in Iowa. He told the cheering crowd of Johnson County Democrats that the organization is in place that can win Iowa: over 50 staffers, 350 precinct captains, and thousands of volunteers. Bernie also described how grassroots campaigns work in rural states like Iowa and his home state of Vermont.

The next day in Oskaloosa, Iowa, Bernie went to William Penn University, where he went into more of a lecture mode. Instead of taking questions or giving his stump speech he asked the crowd for their take on the issues of the day. The senator laid out his plan for free college tuition at public universities.

Sanders pointed out that free K-12 education had helped grow the middle class in our country. “In the year 2015, now is the time to extend that idea to colleges and universities,” Sanders said. “That is why I am fighting for free tuition at public colleges and universities. The world has changed. We are living in a highly competitive global economy and for us to succeed we need the best educated workforce in the world.”

There were a few hundred people on hand and Bernie also offered a critique of the media’s focus on his hair and Larry David and how they choose to not cover the issues. Despite that critique, in an interview after the event CNN decided to focus on Larry David.

The Week Ahead for Democrats

The first big event will be today back in Washington DC. Hillary Clinton will go before the Benghazi Committee. It remains to be seen if the Republicans can recover from members having admitted that the committee was nothing more than a tool to damage Hillary Clinton. She could emerge either weakened or stronger than before the hearing started. Can we please reconsider Kevin McCarthy for speaker? It would be so much fun to have him in charge of the House Republicans.

Rocking the Bern

On Friday in Davenport, Bernie will appear with his newly formed all star band. That’s right, some local and national musicians have formed a band for Bernie, led by the likes of legendary guitarist Wayne Kramer, singer/songwriters Marshall Crenshaw and Jill Sobule, punk icon Walter Schreifels (Quicksand), and William DuVall (Alice in Chains). Maybe Bernie will lead a version of “This Land Is Your Land.”

Jefferson-Jackson Dinner

This is probably the biggest event in Iowa prior to caucus night. I suppose next month’s debate in Des Moines might be more important. Each campaign was allotted at least 1500 tickets. Even with all those tickets available, it is a hot ticket. The Sanders campaign has already distributed their 1500 tickets. If you really need a ticket, I bet the Chafee campaign still has some. In the past this has been a turning point for campaigns. In 2007 Barack Obama held a concert with John Legend and then led a march to the venue.

Bernie doesn’t have John Legend but will have all star band with him as he leads a march to Hy-Vee Hall. Bernie is leading a large rally Saturday afternoon with music and speakers, and then marching with supporters to the dinner.

In the past the JJ Dinner, as some call, it has been seen as the kick-off to the final frenzied phase of the Iowa campaign. There will be just over 90 days to go until Caucus night.

Hillary Clinton is bringing her ace in the hole to the dinner: her husband, former president Bill Clinton. They will also be holding a pre-dinner rally which he will headline.

So all eyes will be on Iowa this weekend. Bernie and Hillary will show off their organizational strength. O’Malley will ... hmm, I’m not sure what he can do. One thing for sure, the pace of the Iowa campaign is ready to go into overdrive.

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Scott Galindez attended Syracuse University, where he first became politically active. The writings of El Salvador's slain archbishop Oscar Romero and the on-campus South Africa divestment movement converted him from a Reagan supporter to an activist for Peace and Justice. Over the years he has been influenced by the likes of Philip Berrigan, William Thomas, Mitch Snyder, Don White, Lisa Fithian, and Paul Wellstone. Scott met Marc Ash while organizing counterinaugural events after George W. Bush's first stolen election. Scott will be spending a year covering the presidential election from Iowa.

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